The Time Travelers' Club -- Chapter 126: Returning

Sam and his Mom enjoyed a few days of quiet at home.  It had been quite an adventure for Sam and quite a shock for his Mom.  Both had a lot to take in.  A lot to understand and contemplate.  Sam watched his Mom, waiting for questions to come or for him to get in trouble for not telling her what he was really doing.

How could I tell my Mom?  Hey.  Guess where I went today?  I went to Egypt and saw Cleopatra.  Sam’s thoughts went round and round, wondering what she would have said.

Christmas Day had come and gone.  Sam got books from his Grandma Henry while Grandpa Henry had bought him some new building sets.  His Mom got him some new clothes, including a black flannel robe.

"Sam, how do they fit?"  Emily was at the kitchen table, drinking her tea and reading the newspaper.

"Well, I think we may need to exchange them," said Sam, as he walked out of his bedroom.  "These are way too loose."   Sam had to hold them up to keep them from falling.

"I see that.  That's your normal size.  Well, at least the last time I bought you clothes."  Emily raised her eyebrows.  "Perhaps all this adventuring wasn't for nothing."  She checked the tag.  "You've lost weight."

Sam didn't feel so husky anymore.

Later, they had visitors.  Rose, Ari, and Xavier stopped by.

Rose opened the laundry room door.  "Hello?  I hope we're not intruding.”

"Come in.  We're just hanging out," said Emily.

"We've never been in your apartment. I hope you don't mind," said Rose. Emily motioned for them to sit down.

"Not a problem," said Emily.  "I'll fix some tea."

Ari and Xavier sat down on the couch, while Rose sat down on the floor next to Sam.

"Those are some awesome sets you've got there," she said, looking over the instructions with Sam.

"Aren't they great," said Sam.

A few moments later, Emily came back with mugs of tea.  Everyone relaxed and the conversation was pleasant and easy.

"Oh," said Xavier to Emily.  "I've got some great news for you.  My cousin read one of your manuscripts and he wants to talk to you about it."

"Really," said Emily.  "But how did he..."

"Lottie," replied Xavier.  "You left one of your manuscripts with her and it made its way to his hands."

Trying to hold back her excitement, Emily fumbled for words of thanks.

"Don't thank me, dear," said Xavier.

Meanwhile, Sam and Rose went back to chatting, after a quick toast with tea to Emily.  Rose pulled out a package from her coat pocket.

"This is for you," said Rose.  "Merry Christmas, Sam."  She handed it to him.

"Thanks," said Sam.  He opened the small box.  Inside was the charm Mrs. Steers had found in a hole in the basement wall in Rome.  Sam held it up.

"What is it?"

Rose leaned closer to him, so only he could hear.  "Remember that list from Mrs. Steers.  How I'm supposed to help you along.  Well, this is my first assignment for you. We've got to figure out what this is."  Sam held it in his hand and studied it.

"Looks like we've got a lot to do," said Sam.

Rose whispered to him.  "Yes, we do.  Indeed we do."

Later, their guests left and Emily and Sam got ready for bed.  Emily was in the laundry room taking care of the last few items from the dryer.

"Sam, I'm locking this door to the rest of the house" she called to Sam who had crawled into bed.  She then talked to herself. "Leave the key in the keyhole or take it out.  Better take it out... Ha... Who am I kidding?  These folks can materialize anyplace they want."  Emily's paranoia was up a bit.  Trying to place the key on a nail next to the door, but missed it.  The key dropped to the floor and slid under the corner of the dryer.  She rolled her eyes and walked off.  "Just stay there."

Emily went to bed and Sam settled in, reading one of his new books.  An hour later, Sam, still engrossed in the novel, thought he heard something stirring.  A faint noise that he could hear above the whirring of the air filter, his white noise maker.  He got up and crept out into the living room.   He looked around.  His mom's door was ajar but there was no sound from that direction.

He turned and saw a light under the laundry room door into the Steers' part of the house.  Sam moved quietly and listened at the door.  It sounded like someone moving about the hallway.  Pulling the door open a crack, he didn't see anyone, but there was light from downstairs.  Moving to the top of the stairs, he saw that a light was on in the front parlor.

Tiptoeing his way down, he hid around the corner of the front parlor, just in case there was someone there. Slowly, he peaked into the room. It was empty.  Then from the kitchen, he heard the tea kettle start to whistle.  Again, he moved quietly and slowly, ready to run if he had to.

Looking in, he saw someone sitting at the kitchen table.  His back was to him.  He let out a little gasp.  The figure turned around.

"Well, look who's here.  Sam come on in."  It was Albert Steers.  "You're looking fine.  Survived your first big adventure with the Club."

Sam walked in a few steps and immediately stopped.

Standing by the stove, pouring hot water into two mugs, was Mrs. Steers.

"Oh, Sam," she picked one up and put it down in front of Mr. Steers.  "It's good to see you."  She gave the stunned, Sam a big hug.

"I thought you were dead," he said as the tears rolled.  "I thought you were both dead.”

"Well, Sam, we won't leave you again," said Mr. Steers, taking a sip from his mug.

"Of course not," said Mrs. Steers, pulling away from Sam and going over to pick up her mug.  "We have lots of things to do.  And, by the way, I've been meaning to ask you.  Have you been having any bad dreams or nightmares lately."

Several weeks had passed since their trip to Fingal's Cave and Sam couldn't think of one.

"No," said Sam with a quizzical look.  "I don't think so."  He grinned just a little.  "No bad dreams.  And I have lost some weight.  In fact, I've been feeling really good."

"Very good," said Mrs. Steers.  "That's very good to hear."

From somewhere, Sam heard a buzzing noise that got louder and louder until Sam closed his eyes and shook his head.   He sat straight up in bed.  His alarm clock had gone off.  It was 6:30.  He remembered he had set it to get back to his morning school routine.

A few moments later, it hit him.  "I was just dreaming."  His eyes teared up.  "But it seemed so real.  Maybe my dreams will be like that more."  He snuggled back down in bed and went back to sleep, but only until his Mom woke him.

"Hey, are you awake?  How about some French toast?"  Emily was starting breakfast.

Sam yawned and stretched.  "I am now."  Sitting on the side of the bed, he felt chilly. He peeked out the window.  Snow was falling. He looked around for his new robe and then remembered his Mom had washed it.

Hurrying to the laundry room, Sam saw his robe on the dryer. He felt a cool breeze coming from the Steers’ part of the house.

“Burr…  Why isn’t the heat on?”  Sam pushed the laundry room door closed and slipped his robe on, immediately feeling warmer. On the floor, he spotted the laundry room key under the corner of the dryer.  He picked it up and put it in the door's lock.

Pointing to the key, he said.  "That's where you belong."  He started to leave but stopped.  “Didn’t Mom…?  I thought Mom had locked that door.”